Apparatus for releasing the fibers from straw or other fibrous material



July 11, 1944. R L NEWCOMB 2,353,489

APPARATUS FOR RELEASING THE FIBERS FROM STRAW, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Jan. 31, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l III r l I. I L JIJ a INVENTOR 0 F1 .5 I AYN\OND l ma ,wwfll, ,Mzd/ 3 ATTORNEYS I. NEWCOMB 2353489 APPARATUS FOR RELEASING THE FIBERS FROM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 11, 1944. R

STRAW, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Jan. 31, 1939 L' l fwmil I n RAYMOND I Nzwcome INVENTOR BY, I

M,MM?/W ATTQRNEY5 y 11, 1944- R. 1. NEWCOMB 2,353,489

APPARATUS FOR RELEASING THE FIBERS FROM STRAW, OR OTHER FIBROUS MATERIAL Original Filed Jan. 31, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 wall/Wm RAY MOND L NEWCOMB INVENTOR ATTORNEYfi Patented .Iuly ll, 1944 APPARATUS FOR RELEASING THE FIBERS FROM BTBAW OR OTHER FIBROUS MA- TERIAL Raymond I. Newcomb, Chicago, Ill.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 253,824, January 81, 1889. This application July 6,1942, Serial No. 449,900

3 Claims. (Cl. 210-8.5)

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for releasing the fibers from straw, or other fibrous material, and has for an object the provision of a new and improved process and apparatus of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus capable of rapidly, efllciently, and economically handling very large quantities of raw material, whereby the completed product may be produced at greatly decreased cost, and suiilciently cheaply for commercial purposes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide eflicient means for efficiently recovering relatively costly processing materials to enable them to be used over and over again, and at the same time segregate valuable lay-products, thus addishowing the manner in which the meeting edges tionally greatly reducing the cost of the process- I following description, and the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a dialyzing apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is aside elevational view, partly in vertical section, with portions of the casing broken away, of the dialyzing apparatus shown in Figure 1 Figure 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse vertical sectlonal view, corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of aportion of one of the rack members employed in connection with the invention;

Figure '7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal vertical sectional view, corresponding substantially to the line 1-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a greatly enlarged, part sectional, part elevational, view of tube means forming part of the dialyzing construction, and corresponding substantially to the line 8-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view of a different type of connection for a dialyzer tube;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a diiferent type of dialyzer tube;

thereof are secured together.

The embodiment of the invention selected for illustration includes the oblong rectangular tank 14, open at the top, the bottom of the tank 14 having spaced water inlets 16, supplied by a supply pipe 16. The upper end of the tank 14, along its outer edge, is provided with an overflow trough.

11, into which water from the tank overflows, and is drainedpfi through the drain 18, the

trough 11 preferably extending completely around the upper edge of the tank 14, as best shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Adapted for insertion into the tank as a unit is a skeleton supporting frame 18, carrying a plurality of tubes 80 of parchment paper, or other suitable material (Figures 1 through 8 and 13), the tubes 80 being arranged to form a continuous circuitous conduit. I

The supporting frame 18 includes four vertically arranged angle members forming corner posts 81, and, as shown, three pairs of spaced angle members 82, the upper ends of the members 8! and 82 being secured in positlonby upperangie members 83, while the lower ends of the angle members 81 and 82 rest upon, and are secured to, the horizontally disposed flanges of bottom angle members 84, the vertically disposed flanges 85 -of which project downwardly and support the frame 19 on the bottom of the tank 14. As best shown in Figure 4 the pair of corner posts 8| at each end of the frame are provided at spaced vertical intervals with horizontally aligned pairs of headed studs 86, eachpair of studs supporting Figure 1 1 is a transverse sectional view corre- 85 a rack member 81, each end of each of .which is hooked, as at 88, for detachable engagement with its related stud 86.

At intervals along each rack member 81, the rack member is provided with alternated horizontally extending slots 89 and relatively deep, upwardly opening notches 98, the slots 88 and notches in one set of rack members at one end of the frame being horizontally and vertically aligned with those of the set of rack members at the opposite end of the frame, as will be understood. Each of the slots 89 is adapted to accommodate a U-shaped conduit fitting 8 I, having ends shouldered, as at 82, for abutment with the inner key 93 wedged between the bight oi the fittin BI and the adjacent outer surface of the rack members. The interior of each end of the fittin 9I is socketed, as at 94, for the reception of one end of a metallic ring 95, about the exterior .sur-

face-of which is disposed one end of a tube 80, and surrounding the exterior surface of the tube 80 there is a packing m inber 96 having a wedgeshaped outer surface cooperable with a wedging ring 91 adapted to be actuated by an actuating ring 98 threaded onto the end of the fitting 9|, all f.the tubes 80 associated with the fittings 9| being secured and rendered water-tight in a manner similar to that just described. Each pair of vertically aligned notches 90, at each end of the frame, is adapted for the reception of a U-shaped fitting 99, the legs of the fitting being detachably secured in their related notches by clamping plates I00 secured in position by screw bolts IIlI, as best shown in Figures 4 through 6, the tubes 80 being fastened to the ends of the fittings as in the same manner described in connection with the fittings 9 I.

The tubes 80 may be made up from oblong sheets of parchment paper, and their meeting edges folded over as shown in Figure 13, and cemented together, and such tubes being of considerable length, means are employed to give them some longitudinal, and considerable circumferential strength, each tube having extended through its interior from end to" end, a helical spring member 502 as best shown in Figure 8. Additionally to support the tubes 80 intermediate their ends, each horizontal tier of tubes 86 is supported at intervals by tiers of cross racks Elle underlying the related tubes 80. these racks having shallow notches I0 3 for the reception oi? the tubes, and each having hooked ends I05 adapted to hook over headed studs I06 arranged appropriately along each of the vertically extending angle members 82, and as best shown in Figure 3.

When the tubes 80 are assembled in the manner described, they form a continuous conduit from the inletpipe indicated at IIl'I in Figure 1, to the outlet pipe indicated at I08. As before stated, the frame 19 is adapted to be set into the tank I4 as a unit, and when so positioned, connection may be had with the inlet pipe I01 by means of a fitting I09 (Figure 4') the fitting I09 comprising an elbow connected to the inlet pipe I01 and having an angular portion seated in a notch of the uppermost rack member H0 and held in place by a clamping plate III, connection being effected with the related inlet tube 80 by an arrangement similar to that described in connection with Figure 8. The outlet tube 80 from the bank of tubes is provided at its outlet end with a nippl II2 securedto the outlet end of the pipe 80 by an arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 8, and the nipple I I2 is held in position by a shoulder I I3. The nipple I I2 has threaded thereon a shouldered nutI I4, carrying a clamping ring IIB, adapted to be detachably threaded onto a fitting H6, permanently secured to the wall of the tank I4. The fitting '6 is shouldered for abutment with the inner surface of the tank wall, and outwardly of this wall is threaded for the reception of a securing nut III, a washer and packing being interposed between the nut H6 and the adjacent wall of the tank, the fitting IIIi continuing as a discharge pipe leading to a storage tank. A removable plate I I8 is provided at the bottom of the tank I4 adjacent to the fitting I I8, and associated parts, to give access to the interior of the tank I4 when desired. With the described arrangement, it will be apparent that it is a simple matter to renew or replace injured, worn, or defective tubes, by first removing the assembly from the tank, making the needed repairs merely by detaching and replacing any tubes desired, without disturbing the assembly as a whole.

The liquid to be dialyzed, commonly referred to as black liquor is introduced to the bank-of tubes 80 through the inlet fitting I09, passes through the tubes 80, and is finall discharged through the outlet fitting H6. During travel of the "black liquor" through the bank of tubes 80, water is introduced into the tank through the supply pipe 18, traveling thence through the water inlets I5, discharging at spaced points into the tank M, the water rising in the tank 14, passing over the parchment tubes 80, and finally reaching a level where the water, with its entrained reclaimed caustic, spills over into the recovery trough ll, leaving through the trough outlet 16, whence it may be conducted to one or more reclaiming units.

The water as it passes over the parchment tubes M, through osmotic action, entrains the caustic ingredient for delivery to the trough 11, while the lignin, and some waste matter, travel downwardly through the bank of tubes 80, discharging from the apparatus through the outlet fitting l I6, being led thence from the outlet fitting I I8 to a suitable storage tank.

Thus it will be apparent that the relatively expensive caustic ingredient in the black liquor is almost completely reclaimed for further use, and in addition the by-product lignin is segregated and is ready for a. great variety of uses.

As shown in Figures 9 through 12, a somewhat different embodiment of the tube construction and the manner of detachably supporting the tubes 80 are disclosed. The tube construction as disclosed in Figure 10 comprises a skeleton frame work including longitudinally disposed spaced rods H8 extending between, and secured to, end sleeves I20, the rods II9 being braced at intervals by rings I2I fitted into notches in the rods and secured thereto, as by welding; With this construction the tubes are rendered substantially longitudinally incompressible. The difierent embodiment of the supporting means for the tubes comprises rack members I22 similar to those already described, having a slot I28 with which a U-fitting I24 is adapted to register. The U-fitting I24 in this instance has beyond the inner surface of the rack member;

Each of the nipples I25 is provided on its face with a boss I28 about which the end of the tube In this construction it will be a simple matter to remove the fitting I24 from the outside of the rack member when it becomes necessary to replace a tube or tubes. InFigure 9 a fitting I I2 is shown similar to the outlet fitting II! already described, except that in this case the fitting I32 carries a nipple In similar to the nipple I25, for connection to the outlet tube. and the fitting I32 is held in position by a nut I34 threaded on the nipple and abutting the end wall of the tank, a nut I35 serving to clamp the fitting I32 to said wall.

This application is a substitute for my earlier filed application Serial Number 253,824, filed January 31, 1939. V Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying knowledge at the time of application, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

tubes oi osmotically permeable flexible parchment paper arranged in a plurality oi banks: each bank comprising a plurality of horizontal tubes set side by side in the same horizontal plane; a

1. Dialyzing equipment comprising: a series of tubes of osmotically permeable flexible material arranged in a plurality oi banks; each bank-comprising a plurality oi horizontal tubes set side by side in the same horizontal plane; a unitary framework including a pair of spaced end plates; each end plate carrying U-shaped tubular connecting members; each connecting member positioned and arranged to establish connection between two adjacent tubes; said tubes being thus interconnected in a single series; said iramework including supporting members for engaging each oi said tubes at a plurality of points intermediate its ends; a skeleton reinforcing frame inside each tube to keep the tube from collapsing; a stationary tank adapted to receive said framework and tubes; connections for delivering extracting water to said tank; means for delivering charged extracting waterfrom said tank; and connections for passing liquor containing a solute and another ingredient capable of separation by dialysis through said series of tubes: said connections being arranged to cause said liquor and water to move in counterfiow relationship, with said water moving substantially vertically around all said tubes.

2. Dialyzing equipment comprising: a series of unitary framework including a pair of spaced end plates; each end plate carrying U-shaped tubular connecting members; each connecting member positioned and arranged to establish connection between two adjacent tubes; said tubes being thus interconnected in a single series: a stationary tank adapted to receive said framework and tubes connections for delivering extracting water to the bottom of said tank; overflow means for delivering charged extracting water from the top of said tank; and connections for passing liquor containing a solute and another ingredient capable 0! separation by dialysis into the top of said series of tubes and out at the bottom; said connections being arranged to cause said liquor and water to move in counterfiow relationship, with said water moving substantially vertically around all said tubes.

3. Dialyzing equipment comprising: a series or tubes of osmotically permeable flexible parchment paper arranged in a plurality of banks; each bank comprising a plurality of tubes set side by side; a unitary framework including a pair of spaced end plates; each end plate carrying U-shaped tubular connecting members; each connecting member positioned and arranged to establish connection between two adjacent tubes; said tubes being thus interconnected in a series; a stationary tank adapted to receive said framework and tubes; connections for delivering extracting water to the bottom of said tank; overflow means for delivering charged extracting water from the top of said tank; and connections for passing liquor containing a solute and another ingredient capable of separation by dialysis through said series of tubes; said connections being arranged to cause said liquor and water to move in counterfiow relationship. with said water moving substantially vertically around all said tubes. V

RAYMOND I. NEWCOMB. 

